I generally make this assumption that I live in a Democracy. This assumption is often challenged. Still this blog is my Freedom of Expression. It is my space and it sets my SPIRIT FREE.

Tuesday, November 01, 2016

Unheard Words, Radical Thoughts - Part 7

Today is a slow day at office. But I still feel less creative. I find my best answers and I think best when I am really busy and in a rush. I don't know if it is a good thing or not.

In this post, I share three stories that I wrote around three 'Word(s) of the Day' shared on our Readers' Club WhatsApp group. These stories are reflective of our current times in some way. Let us see if you can link them with things you identify with. Share your views in comments section.

Opuscule

noun [oh-puhs-kyool]

a small or minor work

Tale: Social Media

He
wrote an opuscule on imaginary friendships, in the future world, almost
300 years ago. That two page description was written by him out of
frustration, because of the social ostracism he faced at the hand of
upper caste brahmins. It was a paper written
as a form of protest and nothing more. But as Google launched its
personal assistant Allo last month, historians found some striking
similarities with the imaginary friend described in his fictional work.
His untitled work till that day, started trending on Twitter, and that
paper is now known as 'Social Media Version minus One point O'.

Bailiwick

noun [bey-luh-wik]

a person's area of skill, knowledge, authority or work

Tale: Transformation

Stealing
is an art and he was an artist. He stole for thrills rather than money.
The pleasure he got from pulling off each impossible heist, was his
driving force. More than that he enjoyed the agony he was able to cause
to his victims. But last time, he fell
into his own trap. As he zeroed down on a potential victim, who was a
rich young girl, he made an elaborate plan to woo her, steal her heart
and to run away with her jewellery. But he lost his heart to her
instead. He decided to quit the life of crime. He now uses his bailiwick
to help police with unsolved cases.

Dilatory

adjective [dil-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy

Tale: Waiting in the Wings

He
was a prime minister in waiting for ten years now. A firebrand orator
with radical ideas, he remained in shadows of his dominating mother's
leadership. Every time, he staked the claim to the highest position,
diversionary and dilatory tactics were deployed
to thwart his attempts. But he continued building the ground support
and was very popular among his party cadres. As the years progressed,
his mother's health started failing. The clamour for naming her
successor intensified. She declared that her younger daughter will be
the next premier. The daughter who was extremely good looking and
intelligent. While she hadn't done much party work, her persuasiveness
and charms were well known. She was instrumental in getting the nuclear
deal for the country last year and had hogged all the limelight. But it
was a lesser known fact that tilted the mother in her favour. He was a
child born out of wedlock. His father had died years ago because of
unknown reasons and the housemaid died of poisoning, few days later.